The One Take Super 8 Event began in 2000, with 20 filmmakers each shooting a single reel of Super 8 film, which then premiered to an audience without the filmmakers seeing their work beforehand. All the films were shown as shot, no cuts, no splices. The popularity of this non-competitive festival has allowed it to return each year with more filmmakers participating. To date over 1000 films have been created for more than 50 One Take Super 8 Events!

One Take Super 8 Event

The One Take Super 8 Event (OTS8) began in 2000, with 20 filmmakers each shooting a single reel of Super 8 film, which then premiered to an audience without the filmmakers seeing their work beforehand. All the films were shown as shot. No cuts. No splices. The popularity of this non-competitive festival has allowed it to return each year with more filmmakers participating. To date over 1000 films have been created for over 50 One Take Super 8 Events across North America!

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

We're almost at the end of the year, and it's been a busy few months for the OTS8.

Shortly after the Saskatchewan screenings this past summer, we were fortunate to continue our partnership with Revel8 in Perth, Australia which screened 6 films made by Regina and Saskatoon filmmakers. These 6 films (you can see on youtube) received a brand new soundtrack thanks to local composers and musicians in Perth. Jay Sotkowy's Nunchuk Connection won Best International Super 8 Film!

That's a lot of Manitoba films over a decade, and we're thrilled that they are still going strong. (See list of films and filmmakers at the bottom of this post)

Florida is getting underway their with 9th annual 1:1 Super 8 Cinema Soiree and announced their call for submissions. The screening is going to be at the Savor Cinema Fort Lauderdale which used to be the Cinema Paradiso. This was actually the venue for the very first OTS8 in Florida way back in March 2006. This year's screening will be at 1pm on December 10th. They might consider a name change to Super 8 Cinema Matinee!

We'll keep you posted on some upcoming small gauge festivals in the new year and let you know if some OTS8 participants are screening their work again.

After more than a decade and hundreds of films, you would think
Winnipegers would have run out of original ideas for super 8 films. You
would be wrong. Over thirty new, never-seen- before small gauge reels
will be added to WNDX’s One Take Super 8 Event canon of filmic wonder.
The event has been going for long enough; some of the original films are
prime for a reboot, no? With no set theme or criteria, anything can
happen in these single reel, unedited super 8 films. First time
filmmakers and experienced veterans face the same anxiety around their
vintage cameras and creative visions. Regardless of the outcome,
audiences are guaranteed a one of a kind film screening featuring local
talent on the big screen adding new treasures to a long history of
totally independent and budget conscious filmmaking in the peg.
Program:Shaylyn Plett + Janelle Tougas – This Field of Grass / Cet Espace VertSolmund MacPherson – Crime of PassionBrendon Yarish – Free HugsAlyssa Bornn – Material Test 01Michael Butterworth + Cameron Cummings – Sad ClubAaron Zeghers – The SalesmanBritney Kornel – The Capri MotelTimothy Maton – this isn’t anti-artDarren Young – CatcallsTavis Putnam – Clean FreakJenny Bisch – Danse Pas de DudesCottontail Productions – Prayer BreakKenton Smith – Gudrun at the SeaJnznbrk – chromaIan Bawa – Missing ToesKaren Asmundson – Tasman Hates the BeachEric Plamondon – Positive End NotesColby Richardson – ConvolveRyan Simmons – 3 minutes of pure rockA Black Helicopter – JelqingRyan Steel – Little FootDivya Mehra – Allow suffering to speak (I’m too sad to tell you)Milos Mitrovic – Boring MovieScott Fitzpatrick – Zombie Pt. 1Jared Adams – We Did it AllJaymez – Anna DarvuliaTrevor Kristjanson – Roomies: The Lost EpisodeDamien Ferland + Gwen Trutnau – NightmallNigel Webber – Reserved ParkingKevin Bacon – The Cold-Footed Bride

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Phew! That was close. I really don't wish to cut it that close again. This morning involved anxiously checking the Canada Post website tracking monitor to see when the package would arrive.
1:03am arrived in Saskatoon. 3:15 am item processed. 5 am item ready for delivery 8:10am item out for delivery. Meanwhile, at 8:25 am I am on air on the local CBC morning show talking about a screening that may or may not happen tonight.

Then I spent the next few hours watching the clock. Finally I saw the postman across the street at my neighbor's house and I frantically ran out my front door and waved him down (he looked slightly apprehensive as he pulled out his earbuds). He told me he had a few packages in the truck and after walking his route would deliver them. Mine might be one of them. AAAAHHHHH!!! I took a deep breath and went back inside and tried deep breathing exercises. Fortunately (as the photo somewhat foreshadowed), the films arrived in time for me to do a very speedy splicing job and get all the films reeled up and headed to the theatre with a little time to spare.

The rest is now history with 25 filmmakers sharing 20 films in Saskatoon to an audience of over 185 including guests visiting Saskatoon from other cities across Canada (love that they chose our event for a Wednesday evening's entertainment). Thanks to the lovely Roxy Theatre for being such gracious hosts once again.

A lot of highlights to share, including returning filmmakers brother/sister duo Charles and Catherine Lemire who made individual films for the event A Birthday Bash / Latin Fever, but there's an auteur streak running their their family. Great use of in camera editing and planning your story in advance.

A couple of pet films (by chance screened back to back) by Chris Smith and Stephanie McKay, highlighting Cheeseburger that cat in a dramatic role in Smith's film and McKay giving her dog Quincy a lead role in demonstrating the finer behaviors of the canine species.

Adeel Salman returned to the festival with a dark romantic tale with a twisted finish. a perfect genre film, timed to perfection.

Brad Proudlove also returned to the event with a prairie music video to the song 'Tuff' by SK Rap duo Run the Pools.

Many other highlights from the night, and despite a few audio technical issues, a smooth presentation to a very appreciative audience. Already looking forward to next year, but first I have to get to splicing those Regina films!

Monday, June 6, 2016

Well, we're about 48 hours away from our show in Saskatoon, and the programs are printed, the media coverage is underway, and we wait with baited breath for the films to make their way from Toronto to Saskatoon care of Canada Expresspost. If you're keen to follow the progress, here's the tracking #0101385000762737. If you're anxious like me, you'll be looking it up hourly.

The good news is that the expected delivery date is June 8th. The tough news is that will give me just a few hours to splice everything together and get it in a projector at the theatre. No biggie.

Anticipation is ramping up and soundtracks are flowing in. We're going to have 20 films for Saskatoon and 24 screen in Regina. Thanks again to Emily Kohlert for designing the posters and programs.

Spread the word and tell your friends. Show up at the Roxy on Wednesday night to see if I show up empty handed or if we'll get to showcase Saskatoon films in all their glory!

Congratulations to the Iris Film Collective on their very first and wonderfully successful OTS8 in Vancouver on June 2. Included a pic here of Alex MacKenzie performing the all too critical projector inspection pre-show.

We're hoping that we'll get to see some of the films from their event at some point, as they begin to travel the circuit. Check out their tumblr page for some great images from the event.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Films are in cameras, and we are excited to have them return to Saskatoon and Regina filled with great images to share at our upcoming events on June 8 and 9th.

We're also very pleased to launch our new poster design by Dandelion design (who helped us last year with our programs, and this year added pro-design skills to these one of a kind posters).

We'll be screen printing them in the next week, and then you'll see these one of a kind creations hanging up around town.

Also, in the exciting news department, we have a record number of submissions from both Saskatoon and Regina this year, with both cities breaking the 25 filmmaker benchmark (we could have said no, we're full, but that would be crazy, when there are willing filmmakers!)

So, we'll be premiering over 50 brand new films in Regina and Saskatoon, which is a record for us. To put that in perspective, 2700 feet of film will go through cameras in the course of a few weeks.
That's over half a mile of film spliced end to end...
or seven and a half football fields.

In short, that's a lot of super 8.

While, we're awaiting those films to get shot and processed a shout out to Montreal who will be screening their newest films on May 24 at La Salla Rosa at their 6th annual OTS8.

May 24, 2016 at The Sala Rossa Doors at 8pm, Projections at 8:30pm $8 at the door

Friday, April 1, 2016

After all the excitement out of Montreal, Syracuse and Vancouver, we are very please to announce that we have confirmed the dates for Saskatchewan's 2016 One Take Super 8 Events in Saskatoon and Regina.

We are very pleased to continue our partnerships with the Roxy Theatre and Regina Public Library Theatre who will host the premieres of 50 new films by Saskatchewan filmmakers.

Entry forms and film pick up will be at PAVED Arts in Saskatoon and The Saskatchewan Filmpool in Regina, and I'll post them here early next week for those looking to sign up.

The Saskatoon event will screen 25 new films Wednesday June 8 at the Roxy Theatre
Regina will screen their 25 new films Thursday June 9th at the Regina Public Library Theatre.

Entry, as always, is first come, first in.
$40 for b/w reversal
$50 for colour
$25 if you provide your own reversal stock.

Please email onetakesuper8event@yahoo.com if you have any questions or want to sign up.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Syracuse hosted their 9th OTS8 over the weekend and premiered a new swatch of films from the 29 submissions. The Daily Orange provided a great article about the event and interviews with its participants. I love the irony that the headline says 'videographers produce a film'. too funny, it used to be the opposite problem of 'filmmakers making videos'.

A big congratulations to Jason and Briana Kohlbrenner on staging another fantastic event and their commitment to providing an opportunity to first time filmmakers to create new work and share it locally.

Meanwhile, both Montreal and Vancouver filmmakers have picked up their cartridges and are in the middle of production on their various one take projects. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out, with some really experienced filmmakers taking part in both cities.

Sunday, January 31, 2016

We are thrilled to announce another piece of exciting news this week (what could top an OTS8 win at Slamdance?!)

Well if you're in Vancouver and surrounding area (come on Burnaby, you know you want to), you'll be thrilled to know that you'll now have a chance to take part in your very own One Take Super 8 Event thanks to our friends at the Iris Film Collective.

They are launching their call for submissions February 1st, and it's the same format everyone has come to love (which is why this OTS8 has spread across the continent). Anyone can enter, there's no theme, no cuts, no splices, and everything that's submitted will be screened on its original format.

How exciting is that?

We've been fans of Alex Mackenzie's celluloid commitment for a long time, and visiting his Blinding Light cinema (what feels like forever ago), was an inspiration for the OTS8 getting started in Regina back in 2000 at the antechamber.

So, if you're in the city of glass and feel like being part of something special to kickstart your year, get ready to sign up Monday morning.

Monday, January 18, 2016

Dianne Ouellette's film Red is Dead (originally called Dog Tales), screened silent at the One Take Super 8 Event in Regina in 2013. A year later she finished the film with a soundtrack (and the new title).

Kodak celebrated 50 years of super 8 in 2015, and Dianne submitted her film as part of Super 8 Filmmaking Challenge. The film has made it to the finals of the online contest through the Audience Choice Awards. There were over 500 entries from around
the world and people could vote for the films that they liked.

Red is Dead came
in second in the Flashback category, therefore in the final 15 films
that have been invited to screen at the Slamdance Film Festival at a
special Kodak screening. Out of the top 15 films Dianne needs to be voted into
the top 3 to win a cool camera and some super 8 film kits. Dianne is going to
attend the screening at the Slamdance Film Festival which takes place
on January 25.

Red is Dead is the only Canadian in the top 15 super 8 films as
well.

You can check out the embedded video below (or click here for a HD version).

Voting starts January 19 and you can vote every day up until the screening on January 25th. So, that's 7 votes per person.

Here is the link where you will be able to start voting on January 19th

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Florida had another successful 1:1 film Festival, you can check out pics and the list of participants here.

Our pals in Syracuse have been shooting their films for the past few months, and only have a few days left to turn in their cartridges.

And we're starting the new year with Kodak making an announcement at the CES that they are reinvesting in super 8 and producing a new camera for release this year.

While this is good news for enthusiasts of the format, Kodak better make a really good camera for $400-$750 if they want people to pick up celluloid. There are still plenty of really good operational super 8 cameras that people have been using since the late 70's that are far more affordable to buy used. Additionally, the expense of processing stated at $50-$75 is far beyond current lab fees (if they are not including the cost of the unexposed cartridge).

So, we'll be keeping an eye on future announcements, and with cautious optimism we hope this does make super 8 filmmaking more accessible for years to come.

In the meantime, a shout out to all of our followers, filmmakers, labs and supporters that have kept super 8 alive, since we started this One Take Super8 adventure at the turn of the millenium.